<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Feb 8, 2013 at 2:25 PM, Milton L Mueller <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:mueller@syr.edu" target="_blank">mueller@syr.edu</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d">Anyone know what these great breakthroughs are in the RAA negotiations?</span></p></div></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>No, and specifics are lacking in anything I've been able to find out there in cyberland.</div>
<div><br></div><div>I want to draw everyones attention to the nature of the ICANN release Milton has kindly provided us. I'm getting a bit concerned about the deification of Fadi Chehade and his appointees. I noticed at the Intercessional in Los Angeles that Fadi devotion, particularly amongst new hires, was a bit extreme. He is charismatic, borrows a lot of techniques of emotive reception from former U.S. President Bill Clinton ("I feel your pain / concern"; shaking hands with everyone coming into and out of meetings, as he did in L.A., was pure Clinton) and is very different from his predecessor, so some of this is understandable. We need to watch, though, to ensure the staff remains committed to the organisation and its governance model and not to the leader. </div>
<div><br></div><div>So, no, Milton, I have no idea what was accomplished in the meeting. You astutely point out that the details were lacking. I'd suggest, though, the purpose of this release was to glorify Mr. Chehade (he "rolled up his sleeves" and "brought renewed vigor") and his staff more than it was to provide concrete information about the RAA negotiations. We know Mr. Chehade will use "every tool available" to continue the "frankness and openness" while working "diligently" to "achieve closure as soon as possible". What that all means to policy outcomes that are very important to us and those whose interests we represent I have no idea. Anyone?</div>
<div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple"><div><p class="MsoNormal">
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""> <a href="mailto:owner-liaison6c@gnso.icann.org" target="_blank">owner-liaison6c@gnso.icann.org</a> [mailto:<a href="mailto:owner-liaison6c@gnso.icann.org" target="_blank">owner-liaison6c@gnso.icann.org</a>]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Glen de Saint Géry<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, February 08, 2013 4:04 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> liaison6c<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [liaison6c] Registrar Accreditation Agreement Negotiation Session<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="FR"><a href="http://blog.icann.org/2013/02/registrar-accreditation-agreement-negotiation-session/" target="_blank">http://blog.icann.org/2013/02/registrar-accreditation-agreement-negotiation-session/</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Registrar Accreditation Agreement Negotiation Session<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">by Fadi Chehadé on February 7, 2013<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Building on the great work that has been achieved to date, yesterday I met with the
Registrar Stakeholder Group’s Negotiating Team to continue with negotiations toward a new Registrar Accreditation Agreement (RAA). We started the day by affirming our commitment to further, in good faith, a new RAA that will address the needs of the community
as well as prepare the Internet domain name system for a new season of growth.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The RAA negotiations provide an important opportunity to carefully balance the various
requirements voiced by the ICANN community, as well as to evolve relations with the registrars who are at the frontline delivering the innovation and consumer choice enabled by the new gTLD program.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">We discussed several items that had been tabled since this group met last year and made
headway in considering additional enhancements that will complete the agreement in a manner that best achieves our goals rooted in the public interest.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">We continued to explore how the proposed RAA can be synchronized with the new gTLD Registry
Agreement that ICANN published for comment on 5 February 2013. Assuming such alignment, this will bring a more cohesive framework across these agreements.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I will endeavor, with every tool available, to ensure that all agreements with our contracted
parties are embraced in the broadest way plausible, and furthermore to support efforts by ICANN as it works to create a level playing field for all participants in this growing sector.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Without compromising any of our principles, we hope to achieve closure as soon as possible.
I look forward to continuing this spirited and collaborative dialogue with the registrars as ICANN and the registrars are committed to moving through this process in a deliberative and expeditious way.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="FR"><a href="http://blog.icann.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/raa-negotiation-1000x390-07feb13.png" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="1250" height="488" src="cid:image001.jpg@01CE05E3.A24355C0" alt="Registrar Accreditation Agreement Negotiation Session"></span></a></span><span lang="FR" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Meeting participants (as pictured) include:<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Top Row (from left to right):</span></i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Margie Milam</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">,
Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives, ICANN<br>
<b>Matt Serlin</b>, Registrar Stakeholder Group Chairman, MarkMonitor, Inc.<br>
<b>Jeff Eckhaus</b>, Registrar Stakeholder Group Vice-Chair/CTO, eNom and Demand Media<br>
<b>Fadi Chehadé</b>, President and CEO, ICANN<br>
<b>Rob Hall</b>, Registrar Stakeholder Group, Momentous<br>
<b>Cyrus Namazi</b>, Vice President of DNS Industry Engagement, ICANN<br>
<b>Samantha Eisner</b>, Senior Counsel, ICANN<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Bottom Row (from left to right):</span></i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Mike Zupke</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">,
Director of Registrar Programs, ICANN<br>
<b>Akram Atallah</b>, Chief Operating Officer, ICANN<br>
<b>James Bladel,</b> Registrar Stakeholder Treasurer, GoDaddy, Inc.<br>
<b>Tim Cole</b>, Senior Director of Registrar Relations, ICANN<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Not Pictured/Conference Call:</span></i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">John Jeffrey</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">,
General Counsel and Secretary, ICANN<br>
<b>Becky Burr</b>, Advisor to Registrar Stakeholder Group, Neustar, Inc.<br>
<b>Volker Greimann</b>, Registrar GNSO Representative – Europe, Key-Systems GmbH, KeyDrive Group<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Reaction from the meeting participants confirming ICANN’s commitment to the public interest include:<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Today’s session was highly productive and a very encouraging step in the ongoing RAA negotiations we have been undertaking for over a year. We are hopeful for the
successful conclusion of these discussions.”<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-right:.5in;margin-left:.5in;text-align:right;background:#efefef">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">- Matt Serlin, Registrar Stakeholder Group Chairman, MarkMonitor, Inc.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:.5in;margin-left:.5in;background:#efefef">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Today was a very productive meeting with Fadi and the ICANN team to discuss the new RAA. I think we made important progress on key issues.”<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-right:.5in;margin-left:.5in;text-align:right;background:#efefef">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">- James Bladel, Registrar Stakeholder Treasurer, GoDaddy, Inc.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:.5in;margin-left:.5in;background:#efefef">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“I am impressed with the frankness and openness we had in our discussions today. Fadi, Akram and the entire ICANN team have brought a renewed vigor to our discussions
and I believe more progress was made today than in the past 18 months. I am confident we will soon see a new RAA agreement in place.”<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-right:.5in;margin-left:.5in;text-align:right;background:#efefef">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">- Rob Hall, Registrar Stakeholder Group, Momentous<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“The resumption of the RAA negotiations today was accompanied by renewed vigor and a very positive direction by all parties. I especially appreciate the new high-level
attention and willingness to engage on complicated issues in a reasonable way that the ICANN team has brought to the negotiations at this time. A number of previously immovable boulders have been cleared from the road and significant progress mas made on the
remaining areas of discussion. The goal is definitely in sight now.”<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-right:.5in;margin-left:.5in;text-align:right;background:#efefef">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">- Volker A. Greimann, Registrar GNSO Representative – Europe, Key-Systems GmbH, KeyDrive Group<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:.5in;margin-left:.5in;background:#efefef">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“I believe this meeting was one of the final steps in the negotiation of a new RAA, a difficult but very important process. There are still some issues to resolve,
but both sides are working diligently and expect to have an agreement in place in the next few months, to match the timing of the launch of new gTLDs.”<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-right:.5in;margin-left:.5in;text-align:right;background:#efefef">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">- Jeff Eckhaus, Registrar Stakeholder Group Vice-Chair/CTO, eNom and Demand Media<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Fadi rolled up his sleeves, listened to our concerns with an open mind, and worked with us to identify possible solutions. His participation contributed to a respectful
exchange that resulted in significant progress on some tough issues and set a constructive tone for the work that remains.”<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-right:.5in;margin-left:.5in;text-align:right;background:#efefef">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">- Becky Burr, Advisor to Registrar Stakeholder Group, Neustar, Inc.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="FR">Glen de Saint Géry
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="FR">GNSO Secretariat
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="FR"><a href="mailto:gnso.secretariat@gnso.icann.org" target="_blank">gnso.secretariat@gnso.icann.org</a>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="FR"><a href="http://gnso.icann.org" target="_blank">http://gnso.icann.org</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
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